State to review plans to replace Mohawk River bridge

The state’s plans to replace the deteriorating 81-year-old Cohoes-Waterford Bridge will be presented to the public in Cohoes and Waterford next week.

The state Department of Transportation’s approximately $20 million project would result in a new span to carry Saratoga Avenue, also known as Route 32, across the Mohawk River.

“The big thing is it’s a major improvement,” Cohoes Mayor George Primeau said Tuesday.

The mayor said the bridge replacement would allow better traffic flow from Route 787 into Saratoga Avenue and then across the bridge.

About 16,800 vehicles travel over the concrete bridge daily, according to DOT estimates. The bridge is 682 feet long. It was built in 1932 as a Depression-era public works project.

The state will hold its public hearings on Tuesday, Aug. 13, in Waterford, and on Thursday, Aug. 15, in Cohoes.

The Waterford hearing will be at Waterford-Halfmoon Junior/Senior High School, 125 Middletown Road. It begins at 6:30 p.m. when DOT engineers can meet with the public. A slide show about the project will be at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer period. At 7:45 p.m. DOT will take comments.

The same format and schedule will be followed in Cohoes on Aug. 15 at the Community Center, 22-40 Remsen St. Engineers will be available to discuss the project at 6:30 p.m. A slide presentation is 7 p.m. Comments will be taken at 7:45 p.m.

Great idea to rebuild this bridge…. but PLEASE make sure there is ample planning for pedestrians and bicycles! And I don’t mean a bit of pavement with some lines painted on it. An actual lane with some separation from the traffic is safer for both the drivers AND the pedestrians/riders.

Given that the current bridge has full sidewalks on both sides, I don’t see that there would be a problem… unless you mean there should be a separate bicycle lane in addition to the sidewalks, in which case I don’t really have an opinion for or against it.

I would be quite surprised if they added dedicated bike lanes across the bridge, which would significantly increase costs by requiring the bridge to be several feet wider across its length.

More likely is a shared lane over the span of the bridge. Looking at the report posted by the state, both alternatives being considered appear use a shared lane approach at 4.2 meters (13.78ft) wide on each side, notably wider than the current lane width of 3.6 meters (11.81ft). Sidewalks will be provided on both sides as well.

Gary, AASHTO may say that a wide curb lane is acceptable for bicyclists, but there are upper limits for traffic speed and volume. That’s why people ride on the sidewalk along busy streets, even though it’s actually more dangerous than riding in the street.

I don’t know what that limit is, but I’m pretty sure it’s under 16,800 motor vehicles per day.

If roads carrying truck traffic are supposed to have lanes 12 feet wide, and bike lanes are supposed to be five feet wide, why would anyone think that a truck and a bicyclist can safely share 13.8 feet?